The present invention relates to an information retrieval apparatus wherein a given word or phrase is designated in an electronic-format document (herein-after referred to as simply “document”), novel and high-level information retrieval is performed from database on the basis of the designated content, thus providing the user with useful information.
With recent development in miniaturization of computers and prevalence of Internet, formation and inspection of documents have been done electronically with rapid progress. In addition, software for enabling users to rewrite or polish sentences or consult dictionaries on computers have already been put to practical use.
For example, the following service is available to the user who prepares documents or inspect documents by using dictionary retrieval software including a dictionary database stored in CD-ROM, etc.
If the user provides a character sequence of a given word or phrase to the dictionary retrieval software as a retrieval character sequence, data retrieval is effected from the dictionary database stored in the CD-ROM, etc. and detailed information relating to the designated word or phrase can be obtained.
In the prior-art information retrieval using the dictionary retrieval software, etc., the retrieval result is presented to the user after the retrieval from the dictionary database is completed. All retrieval result including information, which is not needed by the user in view of the contents of the currently processed document, is presented to the user as it is.
Consequently, the user has to manually search the great deal of retrieval result in order to acquire his/her desired information. This is very inconvenient to the user.